Shahbudin H. Rahimtoola,
M.B., F.R.C.P.,M.A.C.P,,M.A.C.C., D.Sc. (Hon)
Dr. Shahbudin Rahimtoola was born in Bombay, India and graduated M.B.B.S from Dow Medical College in 1954. He received the MRCP from the Royal College of Physician of Edinburgh in 1963 and he was awarded the Fellowship in 1972. He came to the United States in 1963 and became Co-Director of Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Mayo Clinic. He was Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Illinois and Chief of Cardiology, Cook County Hospital from 1969 to 1972, Professor of Medicine at the University of Oregon from 1972 to 1980. From 1980 to 1992, he was Chief, Division of Cardiology, University of Southern California. In 1984, he was appointed the first George C. Griffith Professor of Cardiology. In 1993, he was awarded the title of Distinguished Professor, University of Southern California. He was Chairman, Council on Clinical Cardiology, American Heart Association and he was Trustee of the American College of Cardiology.
Currently, he is the Distinguished Professor of University of Southern California. He is also the George C. Griffith Professor of Cardiology and Chairman, Griffith Center, and Professor of Medicine. He is Editor-in-Chief of a book series, Current Topics in Cardiology.
He serves on the editorial boards of Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Circulation and numerous other journals. He was Editor of Clinical Cardiology, a publication of JAMA and of Modern Concepts of Cardiovascular Disease, a publication of AHA.
He has received numerous awards and citations including the Commissioner’s Special Citation and Harvey W. Wiley Medal from FDA. From the National AHA he has received Citations for International Service and for Outstanding Service; from the AHA Oregon Affiliate a special “Salute to Research” in 1985; and from the AHA Los Angeles Affiliate the Award of Merit and a Special Recognition for Outstanding Contributions to the study and practice of Cardiology.
For teaching, he has received William Osler Award from the University of Miami; from American College of Cardiology, the Gifted Teacher Award in 1986; and from the International Society of Heart Failure, the Melvin L. Marcus Memorial Award as Gifted Teacher in Cardiology, in 1996. He received the James B. Herrick Award from the American Heart Association/Council on Clinical Cardiology in 1989. He gave the Bishop Lecture, American College of Cardiology, 1992. The American College of Physicians conferred on him Master of the College in 1996. He was appointed to the International Advisory Committee, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1997. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award, Mayo Foundation in 1998. The American College of Cardiology conferred on him Master of the College in 1999. He received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the American College of Cardiology in 2001. He was awarded D.Sc. (Hon) by the University of Karachi in 2002.
His research interests are broad and extensive. He is best known for his work in valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, results of cardiac surgery, and arrhythmias. He is also known for his work in heart failure, cardiomyopathy and congenital heart disease. He has given 1420 national and international presentations and lectures. He has edited 11 textbooks and he has published 513 scientific articles. These include 67 “editorial”, 120 book chapters and 316 original and other scientific articles.
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This information is from the APCNA meeting held in 2008 when Professor Rahimtoola delivered a keynote address at the meeting. Reading about Professor Rahimtoola one gets inspired by many aspects of his extraordinary career.
Rizwan A. Karatela, MD
